Pet Talk: Delivery services make pet care easier

Wednesday

Jun 20, 2007 at 12:01 AMJun 20, 2007 at 8:17 PM

Pet columnist Rene Knapp on convenient pet services.

Rene Knapp

It’s a fast-paced world we live in, and we want to spend our free time with family, friends and pets, not doing boring errands. The Internet has given us the ability to buy our clothes, furniture, groceries, prescription medications, books, movies and music without leaving home. There are also timesaving ways to care for our favorite four-legged friends, too, even if you do not have access to the Web.

For those of us who have dogs and long-haired cats that require grooming every six to eight weeks, we have the ability to call a groomer to come to our house. I recently took advantage of this service in my own town, Colchester, by calling Nancy’s Mobile Pet Service. I had the six rescue nebelungs that needed to be professionally groomed before adopting them out, as well as my two long-haired cats and a 13-year-old dog who is too old to bring to a groomer.

Nancy made three trips to my house and took wonderful care of all my needs. This is the perfect way to get your animals groomed if you are very busy, have a tight work schedule or are not able to drive your pet to a grooming salon. And if you have a very shy or old cat or dog that needs some TLC and would be stressed traveling to and spending all day at a groomer’s, the answer is a service such as Nancy’s.

You can also have your pets’ food delivered to your door. Quality food suppliers such as Royal Canin have food services by mail, or you can get more personal service with a mobile service that will drop off your order.

When I was a little girl (here I am about to show my age), doctors made house calls. Well, today, one of the best destressers for your dog or cat and time savers for you is the mobile vet. Animals who are afraid to go out of the house, animals who are afraid of the vet’s office, who are very ill or very elderly truly benefit from the mobile veterinary practices. And when it is time to help your pet over the rainbow bridge, how wonderful to allow your pet to leave this world comfortable and secure in their own bed, among familiar sights and scents. I always feel depressed when I have to make that car trip to the vet’s office with an old friend knowing it will be for the last time.

And let’s not forget T.E.A.M., the mobile spay and neuter van. While T.E.A.M. does not actually come to your door to offer their services, they do offer low-cost alterings and immunizations for cats. The van travels all across the state all month, spaying and neutering ferals, strays and pets for $67 a cat. For people on a budget, the mobile T.E.A.M. van is a great initial veterinary care option.

And don’t forget pet sitters. My own pet sitter in Colchester is my most valued find of all. I know when I go away for a weekend (or a week), my animals will have personal care in their own homes. They do not have to leave the security of their home just so I can go on a vacation.

Yes, this is a modern and busy world we live in. We work hard and would like to have the ability to play hard, too — and in order to do so, we need some help in simplifying our everyday tasks.